"Look, Jesus is entitled to his opinion, but he has no right to ask me or any of these other sellers to leave the temple, I've been selling pigeons here for years, I've worked hard to establish a loyal customer base here. That's what a free market means, we get to use this temple just like everybody else. Plus, the guy is from Nazareth, they haven't had a real barter economy in Nazareth, their markets are all thieves selling stolen goods, that's where the phrase "Nazareth market" comes from, you know. But we're respectable businessmen, so he can't ask us to leave. But what I do love about this Jesus guy, even though he sounds kinda liberal, is that he's triggering the exact kind of dialogue we ought to be having."

Irving Maimway:FlashHarry: i mean, keynesian theory has worked in practice - just witness the three-decade post WWII boom. but is there an equivalent example for the other side?

Nope. Iceland, in fact, is a smoldering example of it not working. They've been undoing the damage since the 2008 crash by going back to Keynesian economics and they've recovered faster than any other country.

As I understand it, when TSHTF there, and they had a decision to make, bail out the banks with gubmint money, or tell the bankers to fark off, they told the bankers to fark off. And their recovery started pretty much instantly.

Weaver95:Once you understand that the GOP doesn't actually follow the Christian god their policies start to make sense. The god they follow is vicious, greedy and despises the weak. He cares only for power, and nothing for the sick or poor. The republicans took the biblical Jesus and remade him into a god that better suited their goals.

I've always believed there's a very powerful reason why Republicans are so obsessed with maintaining a steady supply of both virgins and babies.

RexTalionis:spongeboob: Wasn't it just a few days ago that Ryan was going to be the hope of the GOP?

No. A few days ago was when Paul Ryan was the Judas who betrayed the GOP (by agreeing to a budget compromise with Senator Patty Murray).

I thought the moderates the country club GOP and many pundits were saying this proved Ryan was the one to watch in 2014. I actually heard this on NPR I think On point but could have been Talk of the Nation.

The Freakanomics guys interviewed Pope Francis' economic advisor this week, who spoke about Francis' views and his recent statement on economics which has got the usual waterheads all in a tizzy. I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

And way to be condescending to the Pope, supposedly catholic guy. If Paul Ryan wanted to be any douchier he'd have to sleep in a kiddy pool filled with vinegar.

mongbiohazard:The Freakanomics guys interviewed Pope Francis' economic advisor this week, who spoke about Francis' views and his recent statement on economics which has got the usual waterheads all in a tizzy. I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

And way to be condescending to the Pope, supposedly catholic guy. If Paul Ryan wanted to be any douchier he'd have to sleep in a kiddy pool filled with vinegar.

mongbiohazard:I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - almost any conceivable topic than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

grumpfuff:mongbiohazard: I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - almost any conceivable topic than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

FTFY

/I'm sure Ryan knows more about being a dick

I initially read your slashie as he knows more about sucking a dick. It's probably true strangely.

I could have sworn that someone in the bible said "the love of money is the root of all evil". The Pope being, well, the Pope may have finally called the Republicans on their stance of proclaimed religious piety while trying to consolidate wealth and power to only the super rich through trickle down economics. The worst ones I can remember are out of Wisconsin with Governor Walker and attempted VP Paul Ryan. After the description of Ayn Rand's work and some passages elsewhere, as a philosopher, I could enjoy it for intellectual discourse and cognitive dissonance as held by people like Ryan. However, such people are terrifying should they wield power, much like Ryan who has such high aspirations for his friends and family, but disdain for anyone worse off.

Weaver95:doyner: Weaver95: I don't see how Paul Ryan will be able to stay catholic. The pope is really spelling it out for him...don't be a greedy prick, ayn rand is not your god. Either Ryan drops the objectivist stuff or he has to stop pretending to be catholic.

If thesee people were discomforted by cognitive dissonance there wouldn't be these people.

Yeah but the church will eventually excommunicate his heretical ass if he keeps it up.

That will be a long ways off, he has nothing to worry about the olde-style Bishops in the US overall and in WI. He will not be denied communion or called out by his local bishops anytime soon.

Serious Black:mongbiohazard: The Freakanomics guys interviewed Pope Francis' economic advisor this week, who spoke about Francis' views and his recent statement on economics which has got the usual waterheads all in a tizzy. I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

And way to be condescending to the Pope, supposedly catholic guy. If Paul Ryan wanted to be any douchier he'd have to sleep in a kiddy pool filled with vinegar.

I'd love to see that interview. Was it on their blog?

It was a podcast of theirs from last week. Last Thursday's if memory serves. Planet Money, Freakonomics and Tank Riot are podcasts I keep up with weekly.

Forget it Tim. Once farkers go into mouth foam mode they'll attack anyone in their vincinity.

Well, let's see see what our magic Bible says

*Shakes the holy 8 Ball*

Are the laws of the Old Testament still binding?

Yes, they are binding forever.

Matthew 5:18-19Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 16:17It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

No, Christians are not under the OT law.

Luke 16:16The law and the prophets were until John [the Baptist]: since that time the kingdom of heaven is preached.

Romans 3:28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 6:14Ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 7:4, 6Ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ .... We are delivered from the law, that being dead.

Romans 10:4Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Galatians 3:13, 24-25Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. (v.13)

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (vv.24-25)

Galatians 5:18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Ephesians 2:15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.

Colossians 2:14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances ... nailing it to his cross.

This pope is exposing the entire social control plan politicians like Ryan rely on. They need to get people to be just greedy enough to want to work and support a system that favors wealth, but subdued enough by religion to leave the true excess to those in power (who don't believe any of it).

suckfest:"William Dohonue, the president of the Catholic League who is frequently presented on TV as the voice of American Catholics, offered a tepid defense of the pope against Limbaugh's criticism."

Who decided Dohonue is the voice of American Catholics? 78.2 million Catholic Americans (Wikipedia) are faithfully represented by this dude? I figured he was Fox News coorespondent.

Anyone can set themselves up as anything; if you book enough tv appearances, you're the go-to guy. For example, I'm the world'd foremost expert on the worldwide Muppet conspiracy. So far no tv appearances, but some day....

Eh... Ideologues don't act based on the world as it exists around them, but rather, based on how they want the world to be and assuming most everyone will agree with them. It doesn't matter whether I agree with them or not. You can justify just about anything when you view the world like that.

whidbey: Someone should have cockpunched that guy all the way back to Germany or whatever hellhole he was borne of.

Weaver95:doyner: Weaver95: doyner: Weaver95: I don't see how Paul Ryan will be able to stay catholic. The pope is really spelling it out for him...don't be a greedy prick, ayn rand is not your god. Either Ryan drops the objectivist stuff or he has to stop pretending to be catholic.

If thesee people were discomforted by cognitive dissonance there wouldn't be these people.

Yeah but the church will eventually excommunicate his heretical ass if he keeps it up.

I'm calling bullshiat on that one. When was the last time they excommunicated an American politician?

I honestly don't know....but I think I would avoid putting this pope to the test. Jesuits are kind of hard cases when it comes to this sort of thing.

To be fair, I don't think he was speaking ex cathedra. So it probably is not infallible. It is right, but maybe not infallible. Of course, it could run afoul of earlier dogma.

harleyquinnical:Darth_Lukecash: ...Imagine that. The New Testament contradicts itself as well...

Such quotes are terrifying, but your point is well-taken, but aren't most religious texts susceptible to contradictions without context?

All religions have contradictions. After all, they are created by humans.

But the problem is, that most people are really use the quotes to bolster their viewpoints.

Like Hitler...

"I have followed [the Church] in giving our party program thecharacter of unalterable finality, like the Creed. The Church hasnever allowed the Creed to be interfered with. It is fifteen hundredyears since it was formulated, but every suggestion for itsamendment, every logical criticism, or attack on it, has beenrejected. The Church has realized that anything and everything can bebuilt up on a document of that sort, no matter how contradictory orirreconcilable with it. The faithful will swallow it whole, so longas logical reasoning is never allowed to be brought to bear on it."

Sliding Carp:Irving Maimway: FlashHarry: i mean, keynesian theory has worked in practice - just witness the three-decade post WWII boom. but is there an equivalent example for the other side?

Nope. Iceland, in fact, is a smoldering example of it not working. They've been undoing the damage since the 2008 crash by going back to Keynesian economics and they've recovered faster than any other country.

As I understand it, when TSHTF there, and they had a decision to make, bail out the banks with gubmint money, or tell the bankers to fark off, they told the bankers to fark off. And their recovery started pretty much instantly.

And they gave money directly to home owners to help make up the difference between their mortgage and the new value. Also they put bankers in jail. Pretty much the opposite of what we did. You can compare their results to ours for an idea of what might work better in the future. Not that anyone in government here cares.

Serious Black:mongbiohazard: The Freakanomics guys interviewed Pope Francis' economic advisor this week, who spoke about Francis' views and his recent statement on economics which has got the usual waterheads all in a tizzy. I'm confident that Pope Francis has a better understanding of economics in general - and capitalism specifically - than Paul Ryan would be able to achieve with 1,000 years of study.

And way to be condescending to the Pope, supposedly catholic guy. If Paul Ryan wanted to be any douchier he'd have to sleep in a kiddy pool filled with vinegar.

I'd love to see that interview. Was it on their blog?

Here, I just found a link to it for you. You can read it, listen to it or read it while listening. :)

I liked Francis before, but when he decided to kick Burke out of that role, my man-crush for Pope Francis got even bigger.

It couldn't have happened to anyone more deserving. He was our Archbishop here in St. Louis for quite a while before Benedict decided to promote him and his idiotic tactics of trying to make a culture war issue out of everything so mundane and innocuous (like refusing to attend a hospital fundraiser just because Sheryl Crow was performing and she's pro-choice), had a large part in making me a very lapsed Catholic. I imagine there are a lot of people in St. Louis who are the same way.